Carnival Cruise Line Launches Fathom: A New & Exciting Brand For Social Impact Travel

I’m excited to share the following news! It was just announced this afternoon that Carnival Cruise is launching fathom, a brand that will focus on social impact travel. I’m always interested in ways we can give back especially when traveling, so I’m thrilled to hear this!

Here are the details:

The new brand, fathom, will offer travelers meaningful travel experiences to work alongside locals as they tackle community needs. The company’s first destination will be the Dominican Republic which is known for it’s spectacular beauty.

It is also is a country where the average household income is $6,000 a year. On top of that more than two million Dominicans don’t have access to piped water.

Starting in April 2016, there will be ongoing fathom 7-day impact travel at sea experience trips from the Port of Miami aboard the MV Adonia to Amber Cove, a new port in the Dominican Republic.

This means fathom will send 700 travelers on every trip – thousands of travelers a year — to communities in need, providing tremendous impact that will sustain several ongoing programs. These efforts are what will make a major difference in the lives of people and communities. Nothing like this currently exists – and it is why fathom will create an extraordinary positive social impact

The new brand will cater to a vastly underserved market of consumers who want to have a positive impact on people’s lives but are not sure where to begin. Depending on their passions, interests, and skills, travelers will have the opportunity to choose from a range of social impact activities both on board and on shore.

Travelers will work alongside leading organizations on the ground to help their programs have greater impact. And because fathom will bring hundreds of travelers on a regular basis, it will allow fathom travelers to make a lasting impact.

The Puerto Plata region of the Dominican Republic was selected as the first impact destination based on a number of factors:

• Innate beauty
• Genuine need
• Infrastructure to support social initiatives
• Enthusiasm for fathom concept by locals at all layers of society including country officials
• Location (proximity to Miami and Amber Cove)

The fathom team worked closely with local Dominicans, resident Dominican business and educational leaders, Dominican government officials and leading non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the country to fully understand the societal needs and determine the best way for fathom to participate in addressing those needs.

The fathom social impact travel cruise begins with one to two days at sea preparing passengers through a wide variety of fun and engaging impact readiness experiences including:

• orientation to the Dominican Republic
• conversational Spanish lessons
• impact activity training
• creative workshops
• personal enrichment
• …and much more

Travelers may build their own schedules and will have flexibility each day to choose from a variety of social impact and recreational activities.

Impact activities vary from a few hours to a couple of days. Depending on their passions, travelers may spend up to 3 days on causes they care about, working alongside locals and fathom partner organizations on one or more projects suitable for a wide range of ages, levels of skill, and amounts of physical activity.

When not participating in social impact activities, travelers will enjoy exploring the beauty of the region, experiencing the many Dominican beaches and sites of interest, or participating in any one of an array of different recreational activities available to the entire family of Carnival Corporation brands visiting Amber Cove and the Puerto Plata region.

The onboard experience will be customized to this unique travel market, including specialized, purposeful retail options and amenities, as well as geographically inspired menus, music, and additional onboard cultural immersion.

Beginning in June 2015, travelers may reserve a spot on future fathom sailings at www.fathom.org or by calling 1-855-9fathom. Prices for the seven-day trip to the Dominican Republic start at $1,540 per person, which includes an exterior cabin with a window, all meals on the ship, onboard social impact immersion experiences, three on-shore social impact activities and related supplies, taxes, fees, and port expenses. Prices will vary by season.

Ultimately there will be four pricing levels, based on cabin configuration and location – interior cabins, exterior cabins with a window, exterior balcony cabins and suites. Additional recreational activities, cabin upgrades, and dining and beverage packages will be priced separately. Travelers may begin tailoring their trip in fall 2015 (e.g., impact activities selection, cabin selections, etc.).